You know spring is around the corner when there are so many gardening events, lectures, and shows in March that I can list only a sample below. Check out the organization’s web site for more and don’t forget the Philadelphia Flower Show from February 28 to March 8, see previous article posted on January 24 (http://www.pegplant.com/2015/01/24/philadelphia-flower-show-in-five-weeks/
Saturday, February 28 to Sunday, March 1 and Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8. Maryland Home and Garden Show, Maryland State Fairground, Timonium, MD. Admission fee http://www.mdhomeandgarden.com
Saturday, March 7, 1:00 to 2:00 pm, Worm composting, Greenstreet Gardens, 1721 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22302 (703) 998-3030. Free http://www.greenstreetgardens.com
Saturday, March 7, 10:00 to 5:00 pm Arlington Home Show and Garden Expo, Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street, South, Arlington, VA 22204; free http://www.columbia-pike.org/ArlHomeShow
Monday evening, March 9 through April 13, (except March 23), 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Local gardening talk series of five classes on Capitol Hill by Kathy Jentz, owner of Washington Gardener magazine. Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington DC 20003; (202) 549-4172; Fee and must register, http://www.hillcenterdc.org
Sundays, Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series at Green Spring Gardens,1:30 to 2:30. After lecture, meet presenter and enjoy refreshments. Can register for individual topics or for all; fee. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
- 3/1: Teaming with Nutrients, Jeff Lowenfels
- 3/8: Hellstrip Gardening, Evelyn Hadden
- 3/15: Plants I Haven’t Killed (Yet).. and Potential Victims, Sandy McDougle
Saturdays Sessions at Merrifield Garden Center, free lectures at 10:00 am in three locations. http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com.
- 3/7: Merrifield, Making a big impact in a small space; Fair Oaks, Grass roots initiative; Gainesville, Repotting your bonsai workshops
- 3/14: M, Bulbs corms, and tubers; FO, Gardening for year round interest; G, Seed starting
- 3/21: M, Spring cleaning in the garden; FO, Perennials in every garden; G, And now for something different
- 3/28: M, Spring color with trees and shrubs; FO, Growing herbs; G, Growing herbs 2:00 (same speaker and content as the 10:00 am session at FO)
Vegetable Gardening Series, three-part series (first part already occurred in February), hosted by the VCE Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 South Stafford Street, Arlington, VA. Free but must register, (703) 228-6414; e-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. Register at http://www.mgnv.org
- Session 2: Preparing the Vegetable Garden, Saturday, March 14, 9:30 to 11:00 am; or Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
- Session 3: Managing the Vegetable Garden, Saturday April 11, 9:30 to 11:00 am; or Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
Also by VCE Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia: Monday, March 16, 7:00-8:30 pm, Introduction to Sustainable Gardening at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington; and Monday, March 23, Herb Gardening, 7:00-8:30 pm, Burke Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, free but must register at http://www.mgnv.org (see above).
Wednesdays in the Garden, led by Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) volunteers and VCE Master Gardeners, these gardening sessions are Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 8:00 or 9:00 pm, from mid-March through mid-October, at the Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington VA; (703) 228-5990, free. In addition, Saturday, March 21, is the AFAC Spring Garden Kickoff. http://www.library.arlingtonva.us/events/garden-talks
- 3/4: Seed starting & portable sunshine (starting seed under lights)
- 3/11: Principles of garden layout, design, and orientation
- 3/18: Soil building and testing
- 3/25: From the grocery store to the garden to the kitchen
Saturday, March 21, Annual Gardening Symposium, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Loudoun County Master Gardeners, Ida Lee Recreation Center, 60 Ida Lee Drive, Leesburg, VA 20176; fee and must register. http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org/events/annual-symposium
Garden Talks at Behnkes Nursery, free, also, Saturday, March 21 is Behnke’s Spring Open House, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD; (301) 937-1100; http://www.behnkes.com
- Sunday, March 1, Garden Talk: Fruit Trees and Berry Bushes: Planting, Pruning and Preparing for Spring, with Bill Mann
- Saturday, March 7, 11:00 am and Sunday March 8, 1:00 pm Garden Talk: Your Edible Garden, Starting from Seed and Planting Spring Vegetables, with Carol Allen
Tuesday, March 24, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, Introduction to Organic Food Gardening, Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902; (301) 962-1400; fee and must register. http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside
Saturday, March 28, the 29th Annual Lahr Symposium, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. “Native Plants: Making Connections.” U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington DC 20002; (202) 245-4521. Fee and must register (native plants will be for sale and entrance to the plant sale is free; one can buy plants even though one is not registered for the symposium). http://www.usna.usda.gov
